THE leader of Reform UK’s first council group in Wales has hit out at councillors for failing to mark the killing of US political influencer Charlie Kirk.
David Thomas, who leads the Reform group on Labour-run Torfaen Borough Council, said he’d been left in “disbelief” no mention had been made of the fatal shooting of the campaigner who repeatedly made offensive comments towards women and minority groups, including African Americans.
Kirk rose to prominence by promoting conservative views on US college campuses, posting provocative social media clips and arguing for gun rights. He was also criticised for promoting the false claim the 2020 US presidential election was “stolen” from Donald Trump.
The 31-year-old right-wing activist and married father of two was shot dead on Wednesday during an open-air speaking event at a university in Utah. His suspected killer was arrested on Thursday night after surrendering to police.
Following Torfaen Borough Council’s scheduled September meeting, held at Pontypool’s Civic Centre on Tuesday, Cllr Thomas who had attended online via a video call, criticised councillors for what he felt was a “shameful” snub.
Cllr Thomas posted to his X account: “I’ve just walked out of @torfaencouncil’s full council meeting in absolute disbelief. Not a single mention… not even a moment’s acknowledgment… of the horrific event involving Charlie Kirk. For a council that claims to stand for community, compassion and respect — their silence today was nothing short of shameful. Absolutely disgusting.”
Following the meeting Cllr Thomas told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he’d left the meeting early due to his disappointment in colleagues across the council chamber.
He also highlighted the Senedd had held a minute’s silence for George Floyd, an African American man killed after being restrained by a police officer whose death, in the US in 2020, sparked global anti-racism protests. A police officer was later convicted of his murder.
Cllr Thomas said: “I simply couldn’t get my head around the fact that, given the horrific circumstances of Charlie Kirk’s death and what his family must now be going through, the council didn’t feel it appropriate to even acknowledge it.
“I fully acknowledge that Torfaen council is not the Senedd, but for context, when George Floyd died, ministers in the Senedd gave a minute’s silence.
“If the Senedd can recognise something just as horrific, I see no reason why my colleagues here – the leader – couldn’t have done the same. I can only hope the decision not to was not for political reasons, because that would be deeply troubling.
“For me this is not about politics, it is about compassion. It just felt wrong to continue with ordinary business while something so tragic was at the front of my mind. That is simply my personal opinion.”
Council leader, Labour’s Anthony Hunt, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service his thought’s are with Mr Kirk’s family but he “wasn’t sure there was a relevant place” to raise his death in the meeting.
He also said the council hadn’t marked the death of Democrat Melissa Hortman, a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, who was shot dead, alongside her husband, John Hoffman, in June.
Cllr Hunt said: “It was a tragic event, political violence is totally unacceptable, and my thoughts are with Mr Kirk’s family. I’m not sure there was a relevant place to raise it in council, for example we didn’t say anything about the tragic killing of Melissa Hortman earlier in the year given the lack of a direct link to Torfaen.”